First Day Information

Settling in Procedure

Some ideas that might ease the settling in process:

  • Arrange visits to the centre as often as possible before your child's start date.
  • At these visits get to know your child's teachers.
  • At our centre we have a key teacher approach to settling. A key teacher supports your child's settling/transition by forming a close trusting relationship with the parents/caregiver and your child, communicating about your child's day and supporting their interests. The key teacher nurtures a sense of well-being and belonging and supports your child in making connections with others in our centre.
  • If possible, stay during the first stages of transition/settling in until your child is settled into an activity or happy to stay with their key teacher or peers. Discuss with the key teacher when is a good time to leave.
  • Parents are encouraged to say good-bye once and then leave, as frequent coming and going is unsettling for children.
  • You can contact the centre by phoning the teaching team to check how your child is settling in, or if a child continues to be upset the key teacher will contact you.
  • Children are welcome to bring any special toys or ‘cuddlies’ from home that might help them to settle.

Ministry of Education provides Practical information about education for parents and carers with helpful tips about starting Early Childhood Education.

Daily Attendance Register

For funding purposes and in case of an emergency, it is important to have all children recorded by signing in on attendence tablet. Please sign your child in and out every day so we have a clear record of each child arriving and departing from the Centre. Please keep contact information up to date in case of emergencies. Please provide written permission if anyone else other than people on the enrolment form is permitted to collect your child. If your child is going to be absent for any reason from the session, please call the Centre as soon as possible.

Clothing and Lost Property

Please provide:

  • A clearly labelled bag for your child.
  • At least two clearly labelled complete changes of clothes.
  • A wet bag for teachers to put wet clothing in.
  • For children in nappies please provide enough nappies for each day.
  • In the summer, please ensure your child has with them a clearly named sunhat. In the winter, please ensure your child has a warm hat, jacket and gumboots.

Each child has their own locker for storage of belongings. The locker list is displayed by the window. Any lost property will be available to look through in our shoe and jacket baskets, these can be found near the front door.

Art Work

Each child has their own named art folder where we store their artwork. The folders are kept in the plastic boxes under the art shelves. We send art home at the end of each term but please feel free to take your child’s art home at anytime.

Food

We promote healthy eating at our centre and we ask you to provide nutritionally healthy food for your child’s morning tea and lunch. Please provide morning tea, lunch and a drink of water in named separate containers to be placed on the food trolley. 

Due to increase in food allergies among children, we ask for your support in providing a safe environment for all children by keeping informed about safe food. The centre is NUT FREE at ALL times! Some other food items may be banned at times depending on the severity of food allergies that children attending the centre may have. Any food safety updates will be sent via email and included in the newsletters.

Birthdays

Children are most welcome to celebrate their birthdays at the Centre. Due to the changes in food regulations set by the Ministry of Health for Early Childhood settings we ask that any special foods you may want to bring from home are for your child only. Parents are most welcome to join their child during meal time for their celebration which will be recorded and uploaded on to their Storypark portfolio.

Immunisation Register

The Centre is required to maintain an updated register of all children’s immunisation status. When you enrol your child, please bring their Plunket Well Child book or their immunisation certificate. If your child is not immunised we require you to provide a letter stating that your child is not immunised. If there is an outbreak of an infectious disease you will be notified and in some cases your child might be excluded from the centre if advised by the Ministry of Health.

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